THE MAJORITY OF Irish people are not willing to pay higher insurance premiums in order to support flood victims.
The findings of a Claire Byrne Live/Amárach Research poll found that 60% of those polled would not be prepared to pay a higher insurance premium.
23% of people would be willing to do so, while 17% of those polled did not know.
Much of Munster, the west, and the midlands have been devastated by the torrential storms which have hit the country since the beginning of December.
The percentages seen in response to the poll question do not vary much when split on gender lines.
Indeed the most significant split from the overall findings occurs in the 55-plus age group where 29% of those polled were willing to pay a higher premium in order to aid flood victims.
When split across geographical regions, Dublin residents showed the most enthusiasm for paying a higher premium in response to the question.
25% of urban-dwelling Dubliners would be willing to pay an increased premium, while just 17% of those polled in Ulster and Connacht would be prepared to do so.
A figure of €100 million has been placed on the estimated cost of repairing roads damaged in the recent stormy weather alone.
A levy on insurance premiums is one of the solutions that has been mooted as regards helping those who have been stricken by the huge flooding seen in recent times.
Last week Insurance Ireland, the body representing insurers in Ireland, said that building adequate flood defences is the only way to deal with the problem.
They added further that building such defences is the government’s responsibility, not theirs.
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